3rd Test: South Africa 232/4

CAPE TOWN: India failed to fully exploit the seaming conditions as South Africa recovered from two early jolts to reach 232 for four on the opening day and leave the crucial third cricket Test evenly poised here today.

Put into bat in overcast conditions which suit seam bowlers, South Africa lost both openers quickly but relied on Jacques Kallis (81 batting) to guide them to a far more comfortable position at stumps on a rain-truncated day.

Ashwell Prince was giving Kallis company on 28 when the stumps were drawn after an extended final session at Newlands.

Having put South Africa into bat for the first time in the series, India would have been in a better position if they had taken a couple of more wickets as conditions would be favourable for batsmen in the remaining days.

South Africa were tottering at 34 for two at one stage but the experienced Kallis again thwarted India's plans of ripping through the home side batting line-up by holding fort with a mix of caution and aggression. He hit 16 fours while facing 169 balls.

Kallis stitched three substantive partnerships, first with Hashim Amla (59) for 72 runs for the third wicket before stands of 58 and 68 runs for the fourth and unfinished fifth wickets with A B de Villiers (26) and Prince respectively.

The Indian pace trio of Zaheer Khan, S Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma failed to capitalise on the favourable conditions as they could get just four wickets on a day which was overcast for most part with two rain-breaks.

Zaheer (1/62) was impressive in his first spell when he dismissed Smith for the 11th time in all formats of the game taken together but erred in line and length later by bowling overpitched deliveries and to the pads of the batsmen.

Sreesanth (2/70) was also not consistent in his line and length though he was the most successful bowler of the day, taking the crucial wickets of Amla and de Villiers.

Ishant (1/39) bowled within himself hitting the deck besides getting movement. Harbhajan Singh did not get much turn on the first day pitch but was able to contend the South African batsmen with figures of 0/55 from his 18 overs.

India began well with Zaheer removing South African captain Smith in the morning session which had only nine overs due to inclement weather.

Amla, who hit a nine fours and a six in his 80-ball stay, was at his element again after failing in the second Test in Durban. His counterattack saw South Africa score at a brisk pace though they lost two wickets, including that of Amla, in the second session to reach 125 for three at tea.

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